Berthoud softball takes down Mead, looks to peak late

Berthoud's Taylor Armitage winds up before throwing a pitch in the top of the second inning against Mead on Thursday.
(
Steve Stoner
)

BERTHOUD -- The time is now.

With only four games left in the regular season, three of which come against the 4A Tri-Valley Conference first- or third-place teams, Berthoud is looking to peak down the stretch and finish strong.

The Spartans started off the final week and a half on a good note in a 14-2 win over Mead in six innings.

"I definitely love (how they're playing). We're still going for the big part," BHS coach Teresa Alba said after her team again buried a lower-ranked opponent. "If we can get some big wins next week, we can do something special, so we're going for that."

Berthoud (13-2, 9-1) has been on fire since losing to Strasburg in the Berthoud Invitational championship game early in the month. The Spartans have scored 10 or more runs in four of their last five wins, and outscored opponents 44-21 during that time.

Thursday was much of the same, coming out hot in the first inning, scoring five runs with three different girls driving teammates home. Berthoud would score two more in the second and one in the third, but it was the fourth inning that saw real fireworks.

Starting pitcher Taylor Armitage came up to bat with Larissa Royer standing on first and belted her first home run of the season out to left center field, pushing Berthoud's lead to 10-2. Second baseman Lauren Bending would bring in another for her first RBI and third hit of the game.

"It was actually right down the pipe where I like it. Nice and slow and easy to grab," Armitage said of her first homer. "This just creates a lot of confidence throughout all the girls and it makes it a really fun time too. It's really fun to win with all these girls.

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In the circle Armitage threw out a solid performance giving up seven hits, but limiting the damage to just one run in the second and third innings.

After watching Armitage tag a big fly in the fourth, junior outfielder Jessica Boruff wanted to join the party. She took a high, inside pitch out deep down the left field line for three runs and the game-ending RBI for the 10-run mercy rule. The bomb was her fifth of the season.

Berthoud center fielder Jessica Boruff catches a fly ball for the third out in the top of the fourth inning against Mead on Thursday.
(
Steve Stoner
)

"I like (the ball) outside and low, so I was pretty surprised because I'm usually not very good at hitting the inside pitch, but that one I got all of it," Boruff said. "We want to leave not as many runners on base. I mean, there was an inning where we had the bases loaded and we didn't score, so that's all I'd say (we can improve)."

Boruff finished the game 2-for-2 with four RBI and three runs, while Armitage, Royer and Kenzi Villareal all had two RBI of their own.

Berthoud will take on last place Skyline on Monday, before taking on third place Frederick Oct. 1 and back-to-back games with current TVC leader - and undefeated in conference play Erie - Oct. 3 and 4.

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